The future of Australian Basketball feat. Thon Maker

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RavensFever

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I think the Bucks are a great result for Thon. Pick 10 might be a bit of a reach, and there's a risk of added pressure, but this is a team that has shown they are willing to do the unconventional with players, and as they have already said - in Giannis they have the perfect model of what type of approach they might take with developing Thon's game... best case scenario he fits perfectly into what could become an extremely talented and versatile lineup.
Bucks are a young side on the rise and it really is the perfect place for him to learn and Kidd is a good coach
 

eastfreo75

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I think the Bucks are a great result for Thon. Pick 10 might be a bit of a reach, and there's a risk of added pressure, but this is a team that has shown they are willing to do the unconventional with players, and as they have already said - in Giannis they have the perfect model of what type of approach they might take with developing Thon's game... best case scenario he fits perfectly into what could become an extremely talented and versatile lineup.
Basketball is changing from positions to position less. The Bucks are going guys who can do everything
 

philthy05

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Has all but been confirmed that the talk around thons age was started by parties connected to teams trying to scare away other teams and get maker to drop.
 

Gigantic

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Has there ever been so much hate for a #10 pick before? Seems odd the amount he has gotten the past 24 hours. Bucks will be my second team now. Hoping he succeeds
You're probably referring to the more general fans but from what I've seen on other forums Bucks fans seem to have been surprised by the trade but by no means do I get the feeling they hate it.
 

IronMike

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Has all but been confirmed that the talk around thons age was started by parties connected to teams trying to scare away other teams and get maker to drop.
Makes sense. The Bucks head of fitness is an Aussie, so wouldn't be hard for him to make a few phone calls back home to start some rumours. It's just too suspicious that the rumour just happened to gain massive traction the night before the draft, way too convenient.

It's funny to read the Bucks realgm board, some talking as if Australia is some 3rd world country that doesn't keep any records or anything and live off the grid/uncontactable. The only way I can see it being possible is if his family lied of his age when coming from Sudan to Australia. But he was 6 years old at the time, there's no way his parents were planning for an NBA career at such a young age (in fact he didn't even start playing ball till he was 13+ IIRC), so what other motive is there to lie about a 6-9yr olds age? Just doesn't add up.
 

Warsaw

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When what the dude needs most is game time and 5v5 ball, and the Bucks don't have a D-League affiliate, how they're going to develop him is a mystery.
 

drd23

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Makes sense. The Bucks head of fitness is an Aussie, so wouldn't be hard for him to make a few phone calls back home to start some rumours. It's just too suspicious that the rumour just happened to gain massive traction the night before the draft, way too convenient.

It's funny to read the Bucks realgm board, some talking as if Australia is some 3rd world country that doesn't keep any records or anything and live off the grid/uncontactable. The only way I can see it being possible is if his family lied of his age when coming from Sudan to Australia. But he was 6 years old at the time, there's no way his parents were planning for an NBA career at such a young age (in fact he didn't even start playing ball till he was 13+ IIRC), so what other motive is there to lie about a 6-9yr olds age? Just doesn't add up.
I'm not supposing to know what those people are thinking and I doubt that Thon/his family have lied about his age, but it could be possible that schools etc were told he was a younger age than he actually was (which would be made easier by the fact that he wouldn't have a birth certificate) to avoid the family feeling shame for him not being of an expected educational standard. I can't imagine that whatever teaching occurs in refugee camps would be of the highest quality.
 

Teagueeee15

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When what the dude needs most is game time and 5v5 ball, and the Bucks don't have a D-League affiliate, how they're going to develop him is a mystery.
It's not ideal, but he can still be assigned to a D-League team like Cam Bairstow was. The Bulls didn't have a D-League team until this year, so Cam Bairstow was on assignment with the Spurs D-League team.
 

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splendidham

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When what the dude needs most is game time and 5v5 ball, and the Bucks don't have a D-League affiliate, how they're going to develop him is a mystery.
According to Hammonds, Thon will be a rotational player at a minimum.

Edit*
Regarding the age rumors that popped up, it was pretty well known the entire morning that the Bucks were planning to take Thon at 10. The rumor popped up a good few hours before the draft even started. The nets traded into the 1st round, apparently targeting Thon at 20 (or whatever the pick was they got). It's quite strange nobody aired their concerns so heavily in the days/weeks leading up to the draft.

Also that year book that popped up online where everyone claims he's in the graduate pics (and supposedly proving he is older than he says), that school also offers language courses for new arrivals from overseas open to any age


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freshazimiz

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Met Thon before he's at worst 1 year older than what he says but there's none of this intention of lying about age to play against kids and get drafted high.

Those things come out so he can slip and he most definitely was targeted after pick 10.
 

Theseventhhamster

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Thon went to Aranmore College which is a 30 second walk from my place. I can literally see their school oval from my kitchen window.



Kinda like this if I was a dog
Get a copy of the 2010 year book and the crazy ******s on the Bucks board at realgm will pay you $$$ for it.
 

BoshtrichBurger

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Theseventhhamster

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Shaucob_Burjan

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Haven't posted on this board in a long time.

Hard to believe that a multimillion dollar business like the Milwaukee Bucks couldn't find out his 'real age'. At the same time, I also find it hard to believe that you draft a 23yo who has not played anything better than High School competition in the top 10.
 

Theseventhhamster

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Haven't posted on this board in a long time.

Hard to believe that a multimillion dollar business like the Milwaukee Bucks couldn't find out his 'real age'. At the same time, I also find it hard to believe that you draft a 23yo who has not played anything better than High School competition in the top 10.
Would be the third time in about a decade the Bucks drafted a dude 2-3 years older than listed.
 

Warsaw

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I'm just going to be naturally sceptic of his age, until we hear definitively from the Bucks. Feels like a phone call is all it'd take, and the Bucks could nip this in the bud pretty quickly.

Really though, the way his guardian has been handling him has been sketchy from the start. Whatever happens, he's played this all really well. From a 2nd round pick and a non guaranteed contract to at least 5 mil for 2 years, and possibly something like 12 mill - if he warrants it.
 
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